Taipei Taiwan in a Weekend

Looking to explore a country with an incredible past? Look no further than Taiwan! Taiwan’s bustling capital, Taipei, offers the perfect weekend getaway.

In March of 2023, I was able to visit this beautiful country on a short weekend getaway from Korea. This article was originally published by United On The Rok in July of 2023. It has been updated for my blog.

United on the RoK is a magazine with a military community focus distributed to United States Forces Korea installations within the Republic of Korea.

The magazine changed hands recently and my article is no longer up on the website. If you need to see a PDF format please contact me.

**My posts usually contain affiliate links. If you purchase through any of my links elsewhere, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and services that I use and believe will add value to my readers. Thank you for supporting my blog!**

Why Taiwan?

When my husband and I traveled to Vietnam during Christmas 2022, we met a couple teaching at an international school in Taipei. Their stories piqued my interest, so I started researching and realized a weekend trip was completely doable.

Eager to escape work and take advantage of a last-minute 3-day weekend, I searched for deals from Seoul with China Airlines. I chose China Airlines because they offer direct flights from Incheon to Taipei, and the tickets were cheap—less than $250 USD. I was sold.

Brief Overview of Taiwan

Taiwan boasts an amazing history. Immigrants from China allegedly arrived as early as AD 239. In the 17th century, Spanish, Dutch, and Portuguese explorers reached the island. Taiwan briefly became a Dutch colony from 1624 to 1661, before China’s Qing dynasty took control from 1683 to 1895.

In 1895, Japan defeated China in the First Sino-Japanese War, leading the Qing government to cede control of Taiwan to Japan. Japan then occupied the island from 1895 to 1945.

After WWII, Japan relinquished control of Taiwan, and a very infamous figure, Chiang Kai-Shek, established the government of the Republic of China (ROC). 

If you want to learn more about this period in Taiwan’s history, I recommend looking up Chiang Kai-Shek. Chiang’s son, Chiang Ching-kuo, and President Lee Teng-hui, Taiwan’s “father of democracy.”

Taiwan rich in resources

Taiwan once boasted rich natural resources like gold, sulfur, and iron. Prospectors flocked to Taiwan after discovering gold in a city just outside Taipei. However, by the 2010s, extensive mining and quarrying had depleted these resources, leaving only negligible amounts.

White Terror and Geo-Political Happenings

Over time, the country has experienced periods of rockiness and controversy, including the White Terror, with which modern-day Taiwan is now coming to grips.

The White Terror was a period of political repression in Taiwan that lasted from 1949 to 1992. During this time, the Kuomintang (KMT) government, which had retreated to Taiwan after losing the Chinese Civil War, imposed martial law and cracked down on political dissent. Thousands of Taiwanese civilians and political dissidents were imprisoned, executed, or disappeared.

The White Terror began shortly after the February 28 Incident in 1947, where the KMT violently suppressed a popular uprising, resulting in the deaths of at least 18,000 Taiwanese civilians. This incident set the stage for the subsequent decades of repression. The KMT targeted anyone perceived as a threat to its rule, including leftists, liberals, independence activists, and intellectuals

Despite setbacks and rising geo-political issues, Taiwan is one of the most accepting countries in Asia; for example, Taiwan was the first country in Asia to allow LGBT unions, passing a special law legalizing same-sex marriage on 24 May 2019. 

Hotels in Taipei, Taiwan

I’m a budget traveler, so I chose a hostel stay with a private room in the Datong district. Meander 1948 has dormitory-style rooms and private rooms. It was right by the MRT or Taipei Main Station, which was perfect for getting around. 

On my many walks through the city, I noticed boutique stays in many busy places around famous landmarks. If you like it posh and prefer 4-star service, they have hotels like the W, Marriott, and Hilton, more central to the illustrious Taipei 101 and all the luxury shopping malls. 

Check out this map by Stay 22 (affiliate link)

Currency Exchange and ATMs

Currency exchange is a complicated topic that requires you to be knowledgeable about the current exchange rate and where the best exchange rate is offered.

At the airport, Currency Exchanges are located just before you leave the arrival hall and outside of the arrival hall.

However, another option you have is to withdraw money from an ATM and have your bank take care of the conversion rate. There were several ATMs in the arrival hall. My advice is to grab a bit of cash when you go to the ATM.

Be advised there may be a service fee if you are using a card.

Transportation and Getting Around Taipei.

There are several modes of transportation in Taipei from the airport. It’s important to note, MRT closes at 11pm so be prepared to have your hotel arrange pickup or you can go through Klook to arrange transfers if you land after the MRT closes.

I did this for my departure flight transfer to the airport and it was seamless! Otherwise, you can easily get an MRT pass at a vending machine at any metro station. 

Google Maps works like a charm in Taiwan, and you can utilize this to navigate through transportation schedules in real-time. 

Taipei Tours and Experiences

I mostly use Viator for tours and here you can find my top experiences

Taipei Day One

>>>>Small-Group Tour: Jiufen, Yehliu Geopark, and Shifen from Taipei<<<

Yehliu Geopark

I started my morning early. Loaded up in a van with my guide, Jackson, and we headed out to pick up other participants. Together, we headed to Yehliu Geopark, which was about 45 minutes outside of Taipei. This is where the famous Queens head is situated. I assumed that since I had planned this tour on a Friday it was not going to be slammed with people. I was so very wrong. There were lines to see every stone formation. 

Situated on a cape of about 1700 meters long, Yehliu was formed by a mountain range that stretches into the sea. Yeh Liu is composed of sandstone, made mostly of limestone, and the park highlights some of the best examples of seaside erosion. The famed Queen’s Head is the best example of this erosion. Guess how long the line was? Twenty minutes to take a picture.

I quickly found a viewing point where I could take a picture above the crowd. The view was breathtaking! You get a whole panorama of the seaside and the Queen’s Head, with shrubs that block out the line below. 

If you are lucky and the day is nice, you will get to stop off at Golden Waterfall. Golden Waterfall gets its name from the heavy metal elements that are deposited into the riverbed after rains. The river that it flows into is a rich golden hue.

This river eventually makes its way to Yin Yang Sea. It is called this because of the dark minerals that flow into the sea and the light blue hue of the sea which provides a striking contrast. 

Jiufen

Jiufen was next. This small town lies on a beautiful mountainside and has sweeping views of the coastline. Japanese were amongst the first settlers here during the Qing Dynasty. Gold was discovered here and bam! It brought in many prospectors. When the lanterns light up at night, it may remind you of the popular anime film Spirited Away. My time here was mostly spent meandering the winding streets, taking in the sights and smells of the city. You will find vendors selling many things such as Guey (a glutinous snack that can be stuffed with many different things), Stinky Tofu, Tanghulu, leather goods, and trinkets that capitalize on Spirited Away. The crowds were plentiful, and it only overwhelmed me as I was trying to squeeze through the tight alleyways. So, I found the nearest Tea house. 

There are two extremely popular tea houses in Jiufen: Ameicharu and Jiufen Chafang. Ameicharu is the iconic tea house you have seen in pictures. It was formerly a blacksmith shop, and it brings in tons of tourists daily. I could not believe my eyes when I saw the tea house. It is beautiful, but the wait time to get in was too long.

Jiufen Chafang

With limited time, I opted for Jiufen Chafang. Conveniently located around the corner, Jiufen Chafang offers a menu and views just as fantastic as Ameicharu. Unlike many other spots, they accept all major credit cards, including American Express.

The waitstaff guided me to an unbelievably beautiful greenhouse created by the resident artist. My seat offered a stunning view overlooking the valley below. As soon as I settled in, a young lady appeared with a menu featuring tea choices arranged from light to dark, along with cookies infused with oolong.

I chose Shanlinxi Oolong, sourced from the high mountains in central Taiwan. The tea had a faint jasmine aroma and a light taste. She explained the steeping process, placing the kettle on charcoal bricks beside me. She cleaned the cup with water, dumped it into a spare bowl, added the loose-leaf tea, poured hot water over the leaves, and instructed me on how long to steep the tea.

Once she finished, she poured the tea into my cup and left me in peace. I sat in silence, enjoying endless cups of tea for about an hour. It was a wonderful way to relax and take in my surroundings. What a way to experience a place!

Afterward, I wandered through the winding, twisting streets of Jiufen, lined with beautiful architecture. If I could do it differently, I would visit Jiufen at night. I can see why people often think this place looks like something out of Spirited Away.

Shifen

Shifen was next on the list. This small town has a beautiful nature park with hiking trails and a waterfall. A neat activity to participate in here is lantern lighting and setting off your lantern.

The streets of Shifen are lined with small shops and the area still retains much of yesteryear’s charm. You can walk into any of the lantern shops along the railroad tracks and ask to paint wishes on a lantern to set it off.

This was about 250 TWD (less than USD 10 at the time of writing) for four colors. It was a fun activity. The shop owners help you set it off and are super fun about it.

If you want, you can even get on the train that passes through to see some more mountain towns scattered throughout the area. It’s a magical place.

Tapei Day Two

>>>>>>>>>>>>>Taipei: 4-Hour Morning City Cycling Tour<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Difficulty: Fair    Distance: 15km   Duration: 4 hours

Morning Cycling Ride

One of the highlights of my time in Taipei City was the morning bike tour I took through Taipei Bike Works. I met my guide Beatrice at the shop. She is Taiwanese-American and found herself back in Taiwan wanting to reconnect to her roots. The coolest thing about this tour is that you get to see parts of the city you might otherwise not see.

As other participants started to arrive, we got to know one another. Eventually, we each picked out a bike. I was on a tour with six other people: five Aussies living and working in the tech industry in Hong Kong, and a solo traveler who worked in the foreign service industry. We set out into the city and soon had a fantastic breakfast at a local joint.

Interestingly, locals started snapping pictures of us eating our breakfast. One even remarked how excited she was to see tourists and asked one of our tour participants to take a picture with her baby.

Chang Kai Shek Memorial

We ended up at the Memorial of Chang Kai Shek, where we were able to watch the Changing of the Guard. This happens at the beginning of every hour from 09:00 to 17:00. The Changing of the Guard was interesting to watch. Like in other parts of the world, everything was very precise.

The soldiers had practiced their moves with laser precision, straight-faced and on point. While walking the grounds of the Memorial, you’ll see expansive gardens and the marvelous architecture of the National Concert Hall.

Later in the day, when the tour group was at a stoplight, an older man approached me. He told me how much he loved the US, mentioned that he thought I was beautiful, and then proceeded to give me a balloon art flower. Sadly, this balloon flower did not make it on the plane.

Overall, this tour will give you a great introduction to Taipei and its wonderful people. I highly recommend it.

Taipei at Night: Din Tai Fung Dinner

No trip to Taiwan is complete without tasting Xiaolongbao at Din Tai Fung! This renowned Michelin-star restaurant has locations all over the world, and it originated in Taipei, Taiwan.

Naturally, you must put this on your itinerary. I had heard it was a nightmare to get in with long waits, but the trick around it is to join a tour!

The tour guide picked us up at a local metro station and then took us over to Taipei 101, where Xiaolongbao is located. It took about twenty minutes to get us in. I was with a group of people from Japan, and we connected over the tasty food. Among the highlights for me was the hot and sour soup. It was delicious. Sure, the Xiaolongbao was amazing, but this soup was the best! We ate to our heart’s content for about 40 minutes.

The creator of Din Tai Fung, Mr. Yang, immigrated to Taiwan at twenty years old with twenty dollars in his pocket. He decided to open his shop to sell cooking oil and named it Din Tai Fung. He and his wife dedicated half of their shop to making and selling Xiao Long Bao, steamed pork soup dumplings. The word itself means ‘little dumpling in a basket.’ You can find a variety of these dumplings on the menu. It is fascinating to watch them work in the kitchen. Although I could have gone to Seoul to have dinner at their location in Gangnam, something about this experience in Taiwan was especially fascinating.

Shongsan Ciyou Temple/ Rahoe Street Night Market

After dinner, we made a beeline for Songshan Ciyou Temple. It was already getting dark outside and the city was lighting up. As we turned the corner to our next destination, the view overtook me. It was Songshan Ciyou Temple lit up at night. Songshan is dedicated to the Goddess Matsu, the Goddess of the Sea. Our guide informed us that her believers think she roams the seas, protecting her believers, so citizens come here to pray to her for a safe journey and protection of the island. I spent much of my time here because it was beautiful with all the deep red hues of the lanterns. The smell of incense wafted through the air, and it was calming to take in. It is a great place to sit and reflect. 

After, don’t forget to wander the Rahoe Street Night Market. I went off to see if I could find anything sweet and that I did. I immediately made a beeline for the Donut man. If you have never had a Chinese donut, you are missing out. I am a firm believer that anything in donut form should be tasted! This melted in my mouth to perfection and it was a beautiful ending to a long day!

The Last of It

Whatever district you end up staying in while in Taipei, the nightly street markets are delightful across the city. No need to follow an itinerary step by step, but it could help you get a better sense of how much there is to do, such as plan a bike ride or hike around the country. Taiwan is open and ready for you to explore!

TAIPEI TAIWAN ESSENTIALS

• Passport and Visa: Check if you need a visa. Many countries have visa-free entry for up to 90 days. For detailed visa information, visit the Taiwan Visa Information page.
• Travel Insurance: Ensure it covers medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and theft.
• Copies of Important Documents: Passport, visa, travel insurance, and itinerary.

Electronics

• Plug Types: Taiwan uses Type A and Type B plugs with a standard voltage of 110V and a frequency of 60Hz. North American devices are compatible, but European devices will need an adapter and possibly a voltage converter.
• Universal Travel Adapter: To accommodate different plug types.
• Portable Charger: For keeping your devices charged on the go.

Clothing by Season

• Spring (March to May):
  • Light layers: T-shirts, light sweaters, and a lightweight jacket.
  • Comfortable walking shoes.
  • Umbrella or raincoat for occasional showers.
• Summer (June to August):
  • Light, breathable clothing: Shorts, tank tops, and sundresses.
  • Hat and sunglasses for sun protection.
  • Lightweight raincoat or umbrella for afternoon thunderstorms.
• Autumn (September to November):
  • Layers: Long-sleeve shirts, light sweaters, and a medium-weight jacket.
  • Comfortable walking shoes.
  • Umbrella or raincoat for occasional rain.
• Winter (December to February):
  • Warm layers: Long-sleeve shirts, sweaters, and a warm coat.
  • Scarf, gloves, and a hat for cooler temperatures.
  • Comfortable walking shoes.

Toiletries and Health

• Basic Toiletries: Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, and soap.
• Hand Sanitizer and Wet Wipes: For hygiene on the go.
• First Aid Kit: Band-aids, antiseptic wipes, pain relievers, and any personal medications. I am big on Immodium.
• Sunscreen: High SPF for sun protection, my preference is Shesiedo

Miscellaneous

• Reusable Water Bottle: Tap water is generally safe, but bottled water is recommended for sensitive stomachs.
• Travel Guidebook and Phrasebook: Useful for navigating and communicating, especially outside major cities.
• Snacks: For long travel days or hikes. Stop by one of the local convenience stores in Taiwan if you need more!

This list should help you prepare for a comfortable and enjoyable trip to Taiwan!